GEOGRAPHIC LITERATURE
The Philippine Islands.
1493- 1898.
Vol. XVIII. 1617-1620. By Emma
Helen Blair and James Alexander
Robertson. Pp. 346. 6 by 9 inches.
Cleveland: Arthur H. Clarke Co.
1904.
We can understand present condi
tions in the Philippines only as we are
acquainted with the past. Very for
tunately for us and the Philippines. this
past history, which has been almost
completely hidden from the world, is
now being brought to light in the splen
did series of volumes edited by Miss
Blair and Mr. Robertson. The great
importance of the series and its inesti
mable value to the student of affairs in
the Philippines become more apparent
with each succeeding volume; the
American people, who wish to thor
oughly understand the islands and the
Filipinos themselves, are under immense
obligations to the publishers and edit
ors. The scholarly manner in which
the volumes are edited and the clear
and permanent character of the print
ing and paper make the series complete
and attractive.
The scope of the present volume ex
tends from 1617 to 1620. The islands
are still ravaged at intervals by the Moro
pirates from the southern part of the
archipelago.
Even worse are the losses
to the commerce of the islands inflicted
by the Dutch. Their ships infest the
seas about Luzon, and those of the Mo
luccas, in which region they are steadily
and even rapidly gaining foothold, and
securing the best commerce of those
islands. Corruption in the management
of the Spanish interests in the Spice
Islands renders them an expensive and
embarrassing possession, and the new
governor, Fajardo, finds the same in
fluence at work in the Spanish colony
itself, especially among the auditors and
other high officials. The colonial treas
ury is, as usual, short of funds, and can
do little to defend the islands from the
Dutch. The Madrid Government is un-
willing to spend much more on the
Philippines, although beset with im
portunities to save that colony, and
Spanish commerce generally, from the
insolent Dutch. The usual building of
ships in the islands has so harassed and
exhausted the unfortunate natives that
it is necessary to have ships built for the
Philippines in India and other countries
where time and labor are more abundant.
BOOKS RECEIVED.
Great American Canals. Vol. I. The
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and the
Pennsylvania Canal. By A. B. Hul
bert. With maps and illustrations.
Pp. 232. 52 by 72 inches.
Cleve
land : Arthur H. Clarke Co. 1904.
The South American Republics. Part
two : Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador,
Venezuela, Colombia, Panama. By
Thomas C. Dawson. With maps and
illustrations. Pp. 513. 52 by 8
inches. New York : G. P. Putnam's
Sons.
1904.
Sweden. Its people and its industry.
Historical and Statistical Handbook.
By Gustav Sundbarg. With numer
ous illustrations. Pp. i io6. 612 by
91 inches. Stockholm : P. A. Nord
stedt & Sener. 1904.
The Norwegian North Polar Expedi
tion, 1893-1896. Vol. IV. Scientific
results. By Fridtjof Nansen. With
diagrams and charts. Pp. 231. 9 by
i I inches. New York : Longmans,
Green & Co. 1904.
Africa from South to North through
Morotseland. By Major A. St H.
Gibbons. Two Vols. With maps
and many illustrations. Pp. 290 +
296. 6 by 9 inches. New York and
London: John Lane. 1904.
De La Cote D'Ivoire au Soudan et a La
Guinee. Par Le Capitaine D'Ollone.
With maps and many illustrations.
Troisieme Edition. Pp. 311. 62
by io inches. Paris : Librairie Hat
chette et Cie. 1901.